Contact plug for combination lamps



Aug. 16, 1932. L.. o. PARKER 1,871,910

CONTACT PLUG FOR COMBINATION LAMPS Filed Sept. 25, 1928 F s 46 5 54: E

i 36 35 37 so 47a. 1: a .59 4 i v 34 Pl 416 \glnnuummu LESLIE 0. H4RKER abbot/net:

Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LESLIE O. PARKER, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO DELCO-REMY CORPORATION,

OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE CONTACT PLUG- FOB ooM'BI'NA'TioN LAMrs AppIication filed September 25, 1928. Serial no 308,312.

This invention relates to improvements in signal devices, and more particularly to those signal devices used in connection with motor vehicles.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a contact plug for electric lamps and connectors of simple structure and design, and which may be produced at comparatively low cost.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a lamp or signal device embracing my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section of my contact plug.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of one of the elements of my contact plug taken in the direction of arrow 3, Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of one of these elements taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the element viewed in the direction of arrow 5 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the element as viewed in the direction of arrow 6 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the sleeve for securing the elements of the contact plug in assembled relation.

Referring to the drawing, the signal device comprises a case having a back wall 21, the outer or open edge of the case being provided with an inwardly extending flange 22. The case is divided into two compartments 23 and 24 by a partition 25, said partition having a depending flange 26 which lies adjacent to and engages the depressed portion 27 in the rear wall 21. The flange 26 and the depressed portion 27 are provided with apertures, in alignment when the partition is in position in the case. The shank portion 28 of a headed screw 29 extends through said aligned apertures and is clinched over the rear wall as at 30 rigidly tosecure the partition to said rear wall. This shank portion 28 extends beyond the rear surface of the wall and provides a mounting stud for the signal device. The partition is provided with depending ears 31, having screw threaded apertures, and lying in the plane of the casing flange 22.

A translucent cover 33 having lens portions 34 and 35 of difierent type, closes the open end ofthe casing 20 so that the lens 34 provides a cover for the compartment 23 and the lens 35 a cover for the compartment 24. A gasket36 fits. about the outer surface of the cover 33, said gasket being engaged by the inner edge of a frame 37, which has a flange 38 adapted to fit about the casing 20. The frame 37 is provided with apertures aligning with the apertures in the ears 31 when the frame is in position in the casing, screws 39 extending through said apertures in the frame and screwing into the apertures in the ears 31 to hold said frame securely in position on the casing. From this it may be seen that the frame 37 holds the cover 33 in position on the case, said frame in turn being secured to the case by means of screws which engage the ears of the partition 25.

Partition 25 has an aperture for receiving the base 45 of lamp 46, said partition supporting the lamp so that it will be positioned in the compartment 23 in direct alignment with the lens 34 of the cover. Adjacent the edge of the aperture which receives the lamp base 45, the partition 25 is provided with downwardly extending lug portions 47, slotted as at 47a, for receiving the laterally extending pins 47 b with which electric lamps are usually provided.

Within the compartment 24 of the case there is provided anangular bracket 48 secured to the rear wall 21 of the casing by a stud 49, in a similar manner in which the ear 26 of the partition is secured to the rear wall of the case. The extending portion of the shank 49 provides additonal mounting studs for the signal device. The bracket 48 like partition-25 is provided with extending lug portions 50 forming a socket for receiving the base 51 of the lamp 52.

In Fig- 1 it will bezseen that the lamps, 46 and 52 are so supported on the partition and bracket respectively that their terminals 53 and 54 extend toward each other within the opposing block.

compartment 24. A clear glass lens covers an aperture 56 in the bottom wall of the casing, said glass being secured to the bottom of the casing as by means of clamps held in position by screws. This clear glass lens is adjacent the lamp 52 so that the rays thereof may project through said lens onto the license plate, mounted directly beneath the signal device.

Thus far the description is identical with that of my copending application 165,516, filed Feb. 3, 1927, which has become Patent Number 1,835,239, dated December 8, 1931. The specific invention in this application is embodied in the multiple contact plug for making electrical connection from a source of current to either of the lamp terminals 53 or 54, it being entirely optional whether one or the other, or both, be connected to the circuit as by any desirable and well known switch means. 1

In the back wall of the housing 21 I provide an apertured flange 60 for receiving and holding the connector 61, which includes a metal sleeve 62 for receiving a multiple contact plug 63, having a laterally extending pin for engaging a bayonet slot 64, and which plug carries electric terminals to the source of energy. The sleeve 62 is joined to the flange 60 by welding or staking, and supports a non-conducting core 66 carrying spring contacts 67 and 68 insulated from each other by a non-conducting strip 69. The ends 70 and 71 of these contacts provide terminals for receiving the corresponding terminal of the multiple terminal plug 63 above referred to. The contacts 67 and 68 engage lamp terminals 54C and 53 respectively when lamps 52 and 416 are assembled as shown.

The core member 66 is composed of a plurality of insulated blocks 72 and 7 3, which, when laterally adjoincd, correspond in joint contour to the bore of the shell or sleeve 62. Their contiguous surfaces, as at 74, are provided with longitudinal channels 75, with an upstanding stud or post 76 for the reception and retention of the contact blades 67 and 68 with their interposed non-conducting strip or insulator 69, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The channels are of such dimension that when the blocks 72 and 73 are put together in proper relation, the channel 75 of the block 72 will lie directly over the channel 7 5 of the block 73, and the end of the upstanding pin 76 in one block will be disposed in surface engagement with the pin 76 of the This means of construction provides a channel through the core assembly at the contiguous surfaces of the blocks 72 and 73, which channel is just large enough to receive the contact assembly mentioned above, which comprises the contact blades 67 and68 with their interposed nonconducting strip 69. Each element of the contact assembly is provided with an aperture at one end thereof to engage the stud 76 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Each of the insulator blocks 72 and 73 is further provided with a radial depression at one end of the block, as at 77, which is substantially perpendicular to the channel 75 and is joined thereto at one end thereof to provide a recess for the reception of the ends ofthe connector blades 67 and 68 when the latter are placed within the channel 75 and the ends bent down to form the contacts 7 O and 71 hereinabove described. This presents the contact surfaces 70 and 71 in a cooperating position with respect to the contacts of the connector 63, offering no obstruction to the insertion and positioning of the connector- 63 within the shell 62, since the end of theconnector core 66 and the surface of the connectors 70 and 71 are adjacent to a single plane.

Each of the insulating blocks 72 and 73 is further provided with a shouldered head portion 80, having a ledge 81 forming a seat, for the end of the shell 62 when the core and shell are telescopically engaged as shown in Fig. 1. The'head member is provided with a notch or slot 82 adjacent the ledge 81, and forms a means for receiving the depressed tang 83 of the sleeve 62 when the core member has been inserted within the sleeve as illustrated in the showing of Fig. 1.

In the illustrated embodiment I have shown the core member as composed of two symmetrical semi-cylindrical members with their contiguous surfaces situated in aplane diametric to the enclosing shell. However, it is obvious, that the insulator blocks may be dissimilar in shape, and when assembled may conjointly form other than a cylindrical core, and further that the separating planes need not be diametric to the shell, but may be, or correspond to, the cords or radii of a cylindrical shell. By properly forming the blocks, any desired number of conductors may be provided by the same means. I have found it preferable to form the blocks similarly, as illustrated, since it necessitates but one form of mold and eliminates time in separating the complementary members, or selecting the same from a plurality of bins to form the core assembly, for anyone of the required number will cooperate to form the core memher, and when assembled provide an adequate means for supporting the contact assembly and maintaining the conductor blades thereof in proper insulated relation.

By this construction I am enabled to provide a multiple contact connector plug that is simple in design and construction to a marked degree, and is capable of manufacture at a very low cost. In assembling the connector plug, a suflicient number of the insulating blocks 72 and 73 are taken, (in this instance two), and in the channel 75 of each is placed a contact element, disposed about the stud 76, and then the blocks are placed together so that the channel 7 5 of one is adj acent the channel 7 5 of the other, and with a strip of insulation placed between the contacts, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The contact assembly with the supporting blocks are then inserted within the sleeve 62 such that the tangs 83 thereof engage the notches 82 of the insulator blocks, and so that the ledge 81 is seated against the edge of the sleeve 62. While in this position the tangs 83 are struck down to engage the recess 82, as particularly illustrated in Fig. l. The multiple contact plug is now complete in its as-* sembled relation. The contact blades and insulating member being retained in the channel 75, and the core assembly, that is, the contact assembly with the insulating or supporting blocks 72 and 7 3, within the supporting sleeve 62, by the telescopic engagement of the core assembly with the shell and the de-' pressed tangs 83 engaging the slots 82 in the head of the insulator blocks.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A socket for an electrical plug-andsocket connector comprising a shell open at its forward end, a pair of terminals within the shell, a pair of supporting elements respectively carrying the said terminals, the supporting elements being semi-cylindrical blocks of insulating material cooperating to insulate theterminals one from the other, and to close the rearward end of the shell, a. pair of shoulder members respectively engaging the rearward end of the shell, and the shell having a pair of tang formations each engag ing a depression in one of said supporting elements, whereby the terminals are insulatingly retained within the shell.

2. A socket for an electrical plug-andsocket connector comprising a shell, a con nector plug comprising, a pair of laterally a-djoined insulators corresponding in joint contour to the bore of the shell and having their contiguous surface portions disposed in a plane diametric of the shell, a pair of insulated terminals, said pair of insulators having provisions at their contiguous surfaces for insulatingly supporting the pair of terminals with an interposed non-conducting strip therebetween, and having notched head portions at one end for fixedly securing said insulators to the shell; and means on said shell engaging the notched head portions for securing the connector plug in the shell.

3. A socket for an electrical plug-andsocket connector comprising a shell open at its forward end, a pair of terminals within the shell, a pair of supporting elements respectively carrying the said terminals, the

supporting elements being semi-cylindrical blocks of insulating material closing the rearward end of the shell, said supporting elements having a pair of shoulder members respectively engaging the rear end of the shell, and the shell having a pair of tang formations each engaging a depression in one of said supporting elements, whereby the terminals are rigidly retained within the shell.

4. A socket for an electrical plug-andsocket connector comprising a shell, a-connector block rigidly secured within the shell comprising, a pair of laterally adjoined insulators corresponding in joint contour to the interior of the shell, said insulators having shoulder portions without the shell and providing substantially diametric opposite notches, said shell having tangs depressed into said notches for retention of the insulators within the shell, and a pair of conductor members insulatingly supported by said insulators.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix my signature.

LESLIE O. PARKER. 

